Fly on the Wall
by Josie May
Summary: Zim agrees to tutor Gaz hoping to discover why the little human is so powerful and to use it to his own advantage. Instead the little alien discovers something else entirely. Meanwhile Dib makes a few discoveries of his own. Everyones lives will change, but is it a change for the better. ZaGr/ZaGf
1. Prologue and Zim's New Plan

Author's Note:

So I've written about 10 chapters of this story. Anyway I didn't really get a clear idea about where I wanted to go with this story until about chapter 5 so until then if it seems random, and choppy that why. Sorry, its my first fanfiction. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

-Prologue-

It was a quiet afternoon, like always in a peculiar and small neighborhood situated in a well watched corner of the world. The reason this area was watched well that would be for no other reason then the famous PROFESSOR MEMBRANE, his own television show, and countless scientific achievements had put this odd Professor in the limelight, along with his two albeit unusual children, Dib and Gaz membrane. The world had noticed of these two children Dib more than his sister, having been the more insane of the two, claiming the existence of aliens and ghosts, and robots who dressed as dogs, who couldn't notice him, especially when his younger sister Gaz only seemed to just sit in the background and play her video games silently.

But even those who claim to long for solitude, crave attention and notice, just like every one else.

* * *

-Chapter One-

"SUCESS!" Zim - an Irken who had been 'assigned' to 'invade' earth - cried as he crashed through the blue front door of his small green house. His black wig ever so slightly askew, and his ruby eyes hidden by a pair of contacts purposed to make it look as if he had blue eyes. He'd been on Earth for several years now, no longer in the worm babies skool, he was now in Hi-skool, claiming to be 17 years of age. Practically an earthanoid adult. Still all the same he was short, not as short as when he first arrived at Earth, truth be told he'd grown at least a foot. but still compared to these other humans he longed to rule over he was nothing.

"GIR! I have done it!" The Irken shouted at his trusted robot side kick, who was at the moment swimming through a bucket of chicken.

"Did whats?" Gir asked half surfacing from the bucket covered in grease, and slime.

Zim shuddered at the sight of Gir and his chicken. But soon recovered and returned to his usual posture and stance, his hands placed on his hips. "I have finally infiltrated, _the Dib's _base. I have place surveillance units throughout his home. Cleverly disguised. The element of surprise has been taken from him!" Zim broke into a mad laugh and GIR squealed as he resumed his swim through the chicken eating a piece here and there.

"Now to test and see if the surveillance units are functioning properly." Zim said his eyes narrowing and voice lowering, as he walked towards the blue garbage pail situated by the counter of the kitchen. He jumped in and headed down to the base below.

Once he was down below, he removed his wigs and lenses and situated himself in a large moon shaped chair in front of several screens. "COMPUTER! Bring the surveillance units of the Dib human base on screen."

The computer obliged and within seconds every screen in front of Zim had a different image of a different room, of the Dib's house.

"Brilliant!" Zim screamed elated that for once one of his plans may actually work. However he was quickly brought down when he noticed that the house seemed deserted. "Well that sucks." He said under his breath and slumped in his chair. Then he noticed movement in one of the screens. Looking closer Zim could tell that the movement was caused by the purple haired younger sister, of the DIB. Gaz. That was her name. But what was she doing? From what Zim could see it just seemed like a strange ritualistic dance, filled with all different manners of punches, kicks, jumps, and stretches. "Well that's just stupid" Zim contemplated aloud but didn't look away and watched as the GAz creature retrieved a dummy. Zim raised an eyebrow, now what was that for? He was soon answered when Gaz proceeded to kick and punch the stuffing out of the dummy.

Zim watched wide eyed, mouth agape at the strength and speed of this creature. Dumbfounded even more due to the fact that she was one of the few humans who was smaller than Zim. And yet she was capable of this? How could this be?! It was not possible. But he'd just seen it. Zim watched confused and dumbfounded some more as the Gaz creature continued her dance. How was this possible?

* * *


	2. Gaz's Tutor

Author's Notes:

Ok So I know Last Author Note that I wrote 10 chapters, well they were all kinda short, so I sorta combined chapters to lengthen them. So just THought I'd let you know, so that you don't expect 10 chapters up.

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"GAZ! Where are you?! We're going to be late!."

Gaz cringed as the sound of her brothers' voice awakened her from yet another semi-peaceful nights slumber. Grumbling she grabbed her pillow and wrapped it around her head as she curled into a ball. Faintly she could here Dib searching the house for her. Why couldn't he just leave her alone, and walk to school alone for once? In fact why couldn't it just be Saturday? That way she didn't have to deal with Dib and his mindless rambles especially this early in the day.

"There you are!" Dib exhaled as he found Gaz still in bed, "What are you doing? We have to get to skool!"

"Maybe you do." Gaz growled, irritated by Dib's intrusion in her room.

"Gaz this is serious! If you skip today then that'll be the 7th time you missed school this month alone! You keep this up and they are going to notify Dad." Dib lectured Gaz and decided to help her get ready for school, and began to search for something Gaz could quickly throw on.

"Maybe I want them to notify Dad. Did you ever think of tha-" Gaz sat up her voice cracked mid yell as she saw her brother digging through her dresser. Gaz eyes narrowed and her fists began to tighten, "what…are…you…doing?"

Dib froze feeling his sisters glare bore into the back of his head. Slowly he turned his head to glance over his shoulder, seeing Gaz –short as she may be- standing over him, her eyes aflame. Dib just sat there in silence holding up a plaid skirt, unsure of how to answer his sister. Before Dib could even think of any response he was grabbed by the collar and tossed out of Gaz's room.

"I was just trying to help you." Dib pleaded turning to face his sister who had her hand on her door, the same menacing look across her face.

"You wanna help me Dib? Go jump in the cess pool." Gaz slammed the door on her brothers' face. Dib assumed she had gotten back in bed, it wouldn't surprise him. Over the last couple of years Gaz had seemed to lose interest in everything, not that it ever looked like she was interested in anything, but she had never closed herself off in her room. Dib went on his way to skool contemplating and muttering to himself the whole time.

Dib rounded the corner into the back lot of the hi-skool and was pleasantly surprised, there across the lot sitting on small brick wall, playing her game slave was Gaz, dressed in her usual attire and seemingly ready for school. Dib ran across the back lot to where his sister sat for some reason a smile sprawled across his face, "GAZ! You came to skool! I'm so glad you reconsidered the whole staying at ho-…wait a minute, how'd you get here so fast?"

Gaz didn't say a word to her brother. She didn't want to have to deal with him. She jumped off the wall she was sitting on and began walking towards the general direction of the skool's back entrance. She suddenly felt the presence of somebody else walking by her side. At first she assumed it was Dib, but this presence wasn't speaking, Dib would be speaking. While she thought and played her game she could feel the other presence draw closer and from the corner of her eye she could see it was Zim, who was walking and just staring at Gaz. Gaz sighed and despite knowing she'd probably regret it she spoke to Zim, "What are you doing, Zim?"

"Studying." Came the simple, and calm answer from Zim.

"Study elsewhere. You're getting in my light." Gaz stated

"YOU DARE ORDER ZIM! Filthy human. ZIM SHOULD BE ORDERING YOU!" Zim exclaimed pointing one of his talons at Gaz.

Gaz couldn't help an eye roll. And continued walking and playing her game, resolving that Zim was once again being an idiot, and should just be ignored. Zim on the other hand was thinking to himself, trying to figure out what made this Gaz human so, so powerful. Zim narrowed his eyes on her latest edition of game slave. She always did seem to have her nose in that thing, perhaps it was the key. Quickly and without further thought on the matter, Zim grabbed the game from Gaz's hands and ran a few paces forward.

"Aha! I have you power source little Gaz human!' He shouted toward Gaz who was glaring at Zim, her whole body beginning to tighten. Zim took this as a sign that she was wilting away, that he did have the source of Gaz's power. Feeling Gaz was neutralized, Zim turned toward the game. "Now. How do you bestow power. TELL ME!" Suddenly something hit the undersides of Zim's arms sending the game slave flying into the air. "Huh?" Zim turned just into time to see Gaz's foot encounter his face. Before Zim could even think of a way to defend him self, Gaz had again kicked him, this time in the gut and this time she sent him flying through the doors of the back entrance of the school.

Gaz stood where she was holding her hand out palm up to catch her game slave. Once the gaming console was back in her hand she resumed playing, walking into the school through the now swinging doors. Passing over the now trying to recover Zim, she made sure to walk right over him, trying along the way to push his face into the ground. Hopefully that little alien would know never, ever to touch her game slave again.

* * *

"Stupid, Gaz human. Treating Zim in that matter. What does she think she is?" Zim muttered to himself, all the while tearing fresh new grooves into the surface of his desk. He was currently in his second class of the day, and had been muttering the same rant ever since his encounter with Gaz that morning. His classmates and teachers had learned to ignore Zim whenever he got like this, assuming that along with his green skin condition he may also have some mental issues.

"And then she walked away! Before I, ZIM, could even fight back she walked away. Smug, ignorant creature, walking away in that matter." As Zim came to this portion of his rant he couldn't help but recall earlier after Gaz had stepped on the back of his head he'd looked up to see her just walking away, a subtle sway to her hips, he could almost sense an air of grace in the way she walked. Zim shook his head bringing himself back to his current classroom. How could even think that way of that earth creature. The only reason he was interested in her was to determine what the source of her power was, yes that was it.

"But how am I to get that information from her?" Zim asked aloud bringing his hands under his chin. The next time he would see the putrid Gaz human would be lunch, and even then it was uncertain. Gaz had a way of disappearing into the background if she even showed up to skool. Even if Zim could determine the Gaz's where a bouts how was he to get her attention away from her game. The bell rang interrupting Zim's thoughts and he set off on his next class still contemplating how he was to get information from Gaz.

Upon entering his next classroom, still deep in thought, Zim could hear the Teacher, a crazy middle aged man his hair and moustache turning grey known as Mr. V, lecturing a student. Zim took this as ordinary and wandered to the seat closest to the door. As he began to sit down he looked up towards the front of the room, to see the student the teacher was lecturing was Gaz! Zim stood dumbfounded, she was in his class? Zim sat in his seat and resolved to listen to Mr. V lecture Gaz.

"…with the amount of classes that you've missed you'll be lucky to even pass midterms. Do you understand exactly how much your grade has fallen Miss Membrane?" Mr. V inquired, his eyes trying show that he was disappointed but still cared to help the small student before him.

Gaz simply stood in front of the teacher her arms folded across her chest, her eyes occasionally glancing up in a glare.

"Miss Membrane I'll have to notify your father, so that he can hire a tutor for you to help bring your grade up, unless of course one of your fellow students will agree to tutor you instead." Mr. V spoke louder half turning to the rest of his class who at these words all seemed to find interest in their books, desks, and fingernails, all except Zim who had suddenly stood up in his desk.

"Zim will do it!" He shouted raising his hand. He'd found a way to determine what made little Gaz so powerful. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of the plan himself. "Zim will tutor the little Gaz human."

"Very well Zim, you can tutor Gaz." Mr. V smiled at Zim, then turned again to Gaz, to see her eyes wide and her arms at her side. "Gaz you may take your seat and we'll begin today's class."

Gaz walked to the back of the classroom and sat at the empty desk in the corner. She didn't pay attention to the lesson, she glared out the window. Why on earth would Zim willingly volunteer to help her? Especially after she pummeled him earlier that same day. Was this a sick way of trying to get revenge? Gaz quickly glimpsed in Zim's direction to see him staring back over his shoulder back at her. Gaz quickly looked away from him, and back out the window. Whatever the reason was, she was sure she wouldn't like it.


	3. Questions

Gaz slowly walked the sidewalks back home, just glancing at the girl no one would have ever guessed that internally she was having a heated discussion with herself. Why had Zim volunteered to be her tutor? Was he after revenge? Would it be worth it to find out, or even tell anybody about it? Why wouldn't any of these idiot teachers just call her dad and let him know what was going on!? Her dad…the great Professor Membrane, so great that recently he barely came home anymore with the exception of the annual family dinner, the whole rest of the world got to spend time with Professor Membrane why didn't she?

Gaz was so deep in thought that she didn't realize that she'd mechanically gone home and only found herself in the kitchen until she heard Dib's voice. "Gaz, where have you been? When I couldn't find you after school I assumed you went home early. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine Dib." Gaz growled, as she decided to get herself a drink from the fridge, finding that there was only one can of soda left, she grabbed it and made a mental note to buy more later and to be sure to store some in her room. She continued searching the fridge seeing what leftovers they may have.

Dib stared at his sister hoping for some explanation, but none was given. He watched as she drank soda and reheated a slice of pizza. "Something must have happened, school ended a half an hour ago, if you even finished the last half of school today."

"Would you just shut up and worry about yourself for once? If you must know Mr. V wanted to meet with me after school to work out a schedule for me to meet with a tutor. Ok? Happy? Will you shut your stupid mouth?" Gaz growled all this at her brother careful not to raise her voice too high. She then grabbed her pizza from the microwave and went to the table.

"A tutor? In Algebra? Gaz you were always so good at Math. Who is this tutor anyway?" Dib went from shock, to concern, to parental worry in 2 seconds flat. Gaz rolled her eyes, she really didn't want to talk to DIB about this but this was keeping him from babbling about his stupid plans, and secret societies.

"Just a student who volunteered," Gaz stated simply, there was no way she was telling Dib it was Zim and have him go all paranormal investigator on her. After that she ate quietly and refused to answer any more of Dib's inane questions which did come. She just ignored him and went about her day as if it was like any other.

Meanwhile several streets away, deep underground a pair of ruby eyes watched the Membrane siblings live their day via several screens. Zim watched as Gaz played video games, and Dib stay in his room updating some Swollen Eyeballs and Darkbootie about his progress with Zim and Tak's ship. Zim watched as Gaz and Dib ate dinner, Dib jabbering away and Gaz looking just like she did before she attacked Zim earlier that day. Overall Zim found the two siblings rather mundane. Zim found that his attention kept straying from the pathetic meat sack dib, to Gaz, who kept to herself. There was something about her, Zim just knew it. Something within himself felt odd about the little human, and though Zim didn't know what that meant exactly he knew it couldn't mean good.

The next day at school, the final bell rang and Zim made his way to the skool library which was the assigned meeting place for his tutoring sessions with Gaz. Zim found an empty table and sat his textbook, notebook, and pencil down, he remained standing looking for Gaz, was she not supposed to be here. Zim stared at the clock as the minutes passed and a strange feeling began to overtake his chest. Finally Gaz entered the library.

"You're late." Zim declared at Gaz who slowly approached Zim, Zim eyed Gaz noticing she was empty handed he continued on "And you are missing your textbook."

"Why bother bringing a textbook when you and I both know that you have ulterior motives for tutoring me. Now what are they? Revenge for me beating you up? You trying to get information about Dib? What?" Gaz glared at Zim her arms crossed across her chest, and with each question she asked she'd take a step closer to Zim until they were barely a fist width apart. Zim felt his insides backflip at Gaz's close proximity. They stood there for a moment Gaz looking up at Zim her eyes firm but not angry, Zim looking down wondering why he suddenly felt ill.

Finally after what felt like a half an hour -but what was really less than half a minute- Zim smiled grabbed Gaz by the shoulders and pushed slightly back, all the while explaining as innocent sounding as possible, "Nonsense little human. Zim merely is trying to show his superior intellect, and cunning and to grace the little earth monkey with a dim glimmer of hope of ever being as clever as I." Zim casually sat down facing away from Gaz, and folded his hands in front of him, and mentally tried to figure out if perhaps the germs had finally gotten to him.

Temporarily Gaz stood there a blush spread across her cheeks, for when Zim had grabbed her the way he did for a brief moment she thought that instead of pushing her away that Zim might have pulled her towards him, but that wasn't what shocked her. What shocked her was the strange disappointment she felt when Zim had pushed her away. Gaz shook her head, she must have just been tired or eaten something bad. She sat down next to Zim once again determined, certain he was lying. She glared at Zim and then leaned slightly closer to Zim and growled under her breath, "Fine. Don't tell me Zim, but I know you don't want to just tutor me." She leaned back away from him, and stared in the opposite direction.

The two sat there, not looking at each other, not speaking, just staring in general space, pondering.

And so the subsequent tutoring sessions followed in the same manner. Gaz would show up late, Zim would be miffed, Gaz would ask Zim what his real reason for tutoring was, Zim would insist he just wanted to show he was superior, Gaz would refuse to do anything and just sat there in silence. Zim was becoming frustrated with the whole thing; this was supposed to help him discover why this tiny human was so powerful? Even he had to agree this wasn't one of his best plans, he just would never admit it aloud. In attempts to help move things along –and help stave his boredom-Zim would taunt and tease Gaz, poking her with the eraser end of his pencil, barraging her with a series of random absurd questions, or other such Zim antics. Gaz would just sit there, supplying the rare sarcastic remark or threat, playing her game slave. Then came Friday.

The tutoring session itself was nothing unusual. Gaz spent her time reading a collection of Edgar Allen Poe while Zim doodled on her shoulder with the eraser end of his pencil; the two had been perfectly content. It was after the 'tutoring session' while the two were leaving the school that things got interesting.

* * *

HOMECOMING! Do you have your date yet?

"Homecoming?" Zim looked at the colorful flier hanging on the wall of the skool, "What is homecoming?"

"You've been attending a public school for how long and you have no idea what homecoming is?" Gaz stated as she grabbed her messenger bag from her locker.

Zim glowered at Gaz, "perhaps you should tell me what it is earth human."

"Not a chance Zim." Gaz said as she closed her locker and headed for the exit.

Zim was taken aback, frozen where he was, "Why not?"

Gaz turned on her heel to look back at Zim, her eyes barely a sliver "Why should I tell you what you want to know, when you won't tell me what I want to know."

Zim stood for a second thoroughly confused and lost. What on earth was she talking about? It took him a few more seconds of Gaz glaring at him before he realized she was referring to why he had volunteered to tutor her. "What! You're still on that? I've already told you …"

"You've told me a lie about how you volunteered out of the goodness of your heart." Gaz interrupted, "You and I both know that you never volunteer for anything for anybody unless you are getting something out of it Zim, so what are you getting out of it?"

Zim stared at Gaz, desperately trying to look calm as he tried to come up with a new lie. Not able to think of one he just closed his eyes and in his most innocent voice replied, "I have no idea what you are talking about." He then proceeded to walk past her and could hear Gaz sigh as she tried to keep her temper under control. He'd barely walked a foot away when he heard her voice come from behind him.

"What would I get out of it?" Gaz asked as an idea clicked in her brain, she slowly turned to face Zim, who was looking over his shoulder back at her, she could tell he didn't know what she was talking about, so she continued on, "If I tell you what homecoming is, what will you do for me?"

Zim stood there slack-jawed at Gaz's sudden mood change, not sure if he really wanted to accept her offer. Before he could respond Gaz continued, her eyes flashing, "I know. Game Slave is coming out with a new game this weekend; you can get it for me. As soon as you do, I'll tell you what homecoming is."

Zim scowled at Gaz, "Why would I ever go through so much trouble for some earth pest," Zim poked Gaz's shoulder to make sure she understood he was referring to her, "When I can retrieve the information on my own."

Gaz shot daggers at Zim, "You're right. You should ask your computer, or maybe even GIR, I'm sure they know all about it."

Zim had just about had it with this earth vixen, He'd opened his mouth to shout something, when both he and Gaz were shocked by a whining voice coming from the end of the hallway, "GAZ! ZIM?! What's going on here?"

Zim and Gaz looked down the hall to see an exasperated Dib heading right for them. Simultaneously Gaz and Zim's expressions went from shock to annoyed anger. Dib however didn't notice his attention focused purely on Zim. Without saying a word Dib marched up to the pair glared at Zim for a good long minute, then grabbed Gaz's arm and marched home.


	4. A Day at the Mall

The mall on any given Saturday afternoon was always expected to be crowded with shoppers, teens in particular. Throw in a new Game Slave game release and the crowding becomes abnormal, with gamers creeping out or their dank dark corners to feed their addictions. They were all lining up to make their purchase, except one Game Slave addict.

Gaz sat alone at an isolated corner of the food court, dressed in a purple and black plaid corseted dress with plain black arm warmers and stockings. Her purple hair had a few scattered braids and her amber eyes were on the cover of her book of Edgar Allen Poe which lay on the table in front of her by a medium soda. She'd been debating for the past half-hour whether or not she should buy the game herself or if Zim would actually be so desperate to discover what homecoming was to buy the game for her. She took another sip of soda and suddenly right in front of her face was the cover art for HOGS AT WAR, the new Game Slave game.

Gaz eyes widened in shock, and looked up to see Zim on the other side of the table, glaring daggers and holding the game. Gaz smirked and went to grab it only to have Zim pull it away. Gaz smirk quickly became a questioning scowl.

"Silly earth vixen. Do you truly think Zim would be so stupid as to give you this," Zim spoke satirically, waving the game by his head, smiling internally at the look on Gaz's face, and continued with his speech, "before you have told Zim what homecoming is." Zim crossed his arms and waited tapping his foot for Gaz to cooperate and relinquish all that she had to know.

Gaz merely raised an eyebrow, looked over Zim's shoulder, snickered, "Is that GIR tormenting the Taco stand?"

Zim gasped, had GIR actually followed him? He quickly turned around ready to yell at GIR and order he go back to the base, but didn't see him. Zim's arm fell to his side and he stood wondering how on earth Gaz had seen GIR when he clearly wasn't here. He turned around eyebrow raised and was instantly astonished to see Gaz sitting there inspecting the very game he had just refused to give to her. "Wha? How'd you?" Zim stumbled.

"It's a dance" Gaz stated after she was satisfied with her inspection, and began sipping her soda, a slight smile spread across her face.

"What?" Zim was befuzzled, still trying to mentally figure out how and when Gaz had grabbed the game from him.

"Homecoming, it's just another school dance." Gaz said as she gathered her book and game in one arm and her drink in the other hand, 'You just gave me $28.99 worth of merchandise for 10cents worth of information." Gaz smiled at Zim and then began walking away.

Zim stood there mouth and eyes agape. He couldn't believe he had gone through that much trouble, WHY? Why had he gone through that much stress and worry and shelved out that much money just to discover that?! Furthermore how had he been tricked by HER, she was a human – who he had discovered to never be real clever. Zim was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that he had begun chasing after Gaz, until he slipped across a spill on the floor.

Gaz heard a commotion coming from behind her and turned around to see Zim, looking a little out of control, heading right for her. This barely had time to process in her brain before CRASH! Gaz fell backwards catching herself with her elbow to make sure she didn't injure her head, wincing at the impact to the floor. Her drink went flying in the air spraying her and Zim in soda.

Gaz shook her head and tried to get up to find she couldn't because of something heavy on top of her. She opened her eyes to see that Zim was on top of her, propping himself slightly with his hands, and shaking his head-his eyes closed. Gaz could feel her cheeks getting warmer and could only imagine how red she must be.

Zim who'd been pre-occupied in his mind during the whole crash, shook his head trying to figure out what had just happened. He felt something shift under him, and opened his eyes to see that he was on top of a blushing Gaz. Zim's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

Neither of them stood up they each stayed where they were, staring at the other. Knowing full well how awkward this was, and trying to understand what was going on inside the other's head wondering why they weren't trying to move. And for some reason neither could explain, both of them felt a small amount of exhilaration in the back of their brains.

* * *

For a brief moment the two forget where they were, their minds racing trying to understand all the emotions they were feeling. Zim quickly hopped up and off of Gaz and offered her a hand up which she accepted, both felt shivers of ecstasy race up and down their backs. Suddenly before the moment could continue a shrill laugh broke through the air.

Gaz and Zim looked up to see sitting at the table they were currently next to, was a group of three very brightly dressed girls, two had had their backs to Gaz and Zim and were looking over their shoulders trying to figure out why the third member of their party had broke out laughing. The third girl, was none other than the most popular (or at least well known) girl in the whole school, Beth-Ann. The head of the cheerleading squad, and practically every committee known to the school, Beth-Ann was known for her obsession with having things go her way, and her temper when things didn't. Gaz's eye went to their usual dead glare while Zim raised a brow, neither of them realizing that they hadn't released the other's hand.

"How desperate do you have to be to jump a girl in the middle of the mall?" Beth-Ann spoke after stifling her laugh, an ironic sweet smile spread across her face. "Even if that girl is as equal a freak as you."

Gaz externally kept her dead look, even though inside she was hissing and tearing Beth-Ann apart, she knew if she showed Beth-Ann any signs of offense Beth-Ann would just keep going almost like she needed to feed off of hurt emotions. Zim meanwhile hadn't come to this conclusion, or any conclusion really, he just knew that this earth smeet had spoken ill of him. Sure he didn't really understand what she meant by his being desperate, but she had called him a freak, and Zim was no freak, and he had to make sure she knew this.

"ZIM is no freak! Zim is a perfectly normal earth human. Seee?" Zim pointed at his wig and contacts, trying to look as innocent as possible, and hoping this was evidence for the girl and her two friends that he was normal. However the three just broke into muffled snickers. Zim's fist tightened, "You dare laugh…?" Zim cut himself off when he felt a small tug on the hand that currently held Gaz's he looked around to see Gaz had begun walking away. He turned towards Beth-Ann and her two friends glared at them, then sharply turned back towards Gaz and proceeded to follow her, not wanting her to let go of his hand, which he had discovered was quite comfortable when nestled with hers.

Gaz kept her eyes forward, knowing Zim had followed her, She was internally thankful for this. She was glad to be away from Beth-Ann's annoying voice, Gaz honestly believed Beth-Ann's was the only voice more annoying than Dib's. It was just as this thought crossed Gaz's mind that Beth-Ann had to have her final say, "ooooh, our little freak show is leaving."

Gaz halted so suddenly that Zim nearly ran into her again. A pale purple aura began to glow around Gaz, as she smirked, "So you wanna see a freak show, do you?" She slowly turned around, her voice in a haunting whisper. Beth-Ann raised a brow, and barely lowered her smirk confused by Gaz's statement when suddenly an entire tray of food came flying at the back of Beth-Ann's head.

Zim stood there staring at Gaz, impressed by the demonic nature of her stare and voice, he wasn't sure why but he could swear her entire persona was glowing. The entire effect of the look gave her an overall unearthly beauty that Zim really liked. Zim however was confused, Gaz sounded like she was going to do something to Beth-Ann but she just stood there, glaring, how was this supposed to accomplish anything. Zim didn't linger long on this thought when he heard a squeal come from Beth-Ann and her two friends. Zim turned and nearly burst out laughing, the top and presumably the back of Beth-Ann's head was dripping with all sorts of earth filth.

Zim smiled and turned to Gaz to see she was also smirking. Zim turned back to Beth-Ann to enjoy her misery and saw another couple of tray's of food coming at her of their own free will. Zim couldn't believe what he was seeing –not that he didn't enjoy her misery- he just couldn't comprehend how the Food Court Trays had suddenly formed a magnetic attraction towards her.

Zim didn't think too long trying to figure out how this was happening, being distracted by Beth-Ann's feeble attempts to avoid all the tray's that were flying at her. A couple of the tray's once emptied had started swatting at Beth-Ann. Soon Zim, Gaz, and Beth-Ann's weren't the only spectators; the entire food court seemed to have frozen still watching the tray's attack the nearly food-drenched girl. Some were laughing, others were concerned for the girl, and others were concerned for their food. Zim was among the numbers who were laughing at Beth-Ann, enjoying every minute of her torture. In his mind the pathetic human was getting what she deserved.

Zim again looked at Gaz expecting her to be enjoying this as much as he was, however she still had that same smirk on her face, concentrating her glare on Beth-Ann. Why? That was when it hit Zim, was Gaz the cause of Beth-Ann's torture? But how could that be?

**

* * *

**


	5. A Father's Concern

Gaz and Zim quietly walked the streets, not really heading anywhere in particular, just walking, Gaz her nose in her book, Zim his mind trying to figure out –once again—what made Gaz so powerful. The two had run out of the mall entirely after the Police showed up, someone having had called them during all the chaos. The two had run in silence and after recognizing they were far enough from the mall and that no one bothered following them, they had proceeded to walk in silence.

After a few more minutes of silent walking Zim had begun staring at Gaz again, his thoughts trying to figure her out. She was small when compared to other pathetic humans her age. However save for outward appearances she never really was like them was she. She always seemed to have her eyes shut or pre-occupied, yet knew of every detail of things happening around her. She never really showed emotions, even when she was angry she managed to maintain the same level tone. In fact this past afternoon was the most amount of emotion he'd seen from her, Zim noted as he had a brief flash of the moments leading up to the Beth-Ann encounter, the same pinprick of ecstasy showing up again just at the thought of the it. A smile spread across Zim's face, his vision trailing down to Gaz's hand no longer in his.

"Why are you so happy?" Gaz's voice suddenly inquired, jolting Zim back to the present. He couldn't tell her, a pathetic worm baby, that he had been thinking about her. No that wouldn't do, so quickly he thought of the only other thing that'd been pleasant about this whole day.

"Just recalling the way that stupid Beth-Ann had squealed when that earth garbage had been dumped on her," Zim said stifling snickers.

"That was pretty funny" Gaz said the corners of her mouth barely turning up to a smile.

"Yes, it was," Zim said his smile turning malicious as he leaned closer to Gaz, "How did you do that anyhow?"

Gaz barely looked from her book out of the corner of her eye at Zim, she somehow found herself strangely entranced by that smile she'd grown to know too well for just a brief moment, and then quickly shifted her eyes back to her book keeping her level look. "Do what Zim?"

"Don't act clueless with me! You and I both know that you moved those trays. Somehow you have power other hyoomans don't possess." Zim said exaggerating what he was saying, and trying to seem like he knew what was going on. His mind racing much too fast for him to keep up, as he suddenly begun recalling when Gaz had thrown him through the doors of the school, and several other incidents where she exhibited superior strength, "You also threw Zim with what seemed like very little effort. Zim just wants."

"Hold on." Gaz said closing her book and cutting Zim off, "That's why you agreed to tutor me? I threw you through the school doors without even trying?" Gaz stared at Zim who merely stared back his eyes thinned and his arms crossed, standing straighter. She couldn't believe this; he HAD agreed to tutor her because he was angry about being beaten by a girl? Then why hadn't he just said so? Then again why was she trying to believe Zim was logical? And what on earth did he mean power that other humans didn't possess? Gaz groaned her head shouldn't hurt this much on a weekend. She could tell Zim was expecting her to say more, why should she give him the satisfaction? She smirked, planning on just walking away and having Zim grovel behind her, however something else came over her entirely. She leaned closer to Zim, arching her feet so that she was on her tip toes in order for her eyes to better match Zim's, then in a low but gentle whisper she spoke, "Why should I tell you anything?"

Zim's arms dropped to his side. He stood there completely dumbstruck as Gaz proceeded to walk away. It wasn't that she'd refused to tell him anything, it was that she'd gotten so close to him. Zim wasn't sure how but that earth vixen had again made his insides back flip. She'd entranced him somehow he just knew it! Zim grabbed his head, as more thoughts of Gaz flooded his brain. This couldn't be happening!

"Aaaah, you likes her." Gir cooed his cyan eyes closed shut as he grinned, having just finished hearing Zim rant about the day's happenings.

Zim quickly froze mid-rant, turned to Gir and in the calmest voice he could muster, "Don't be stupid Gir. I ZIM could never 'like' a hyooman."

"Ahhhhh, you liiiiiikes her." Gir waved his arm, and his grin grew larger, "Master likes Gazzy. Master Likes Gazzy!"

"Aurgh. NO I do not!!" Zim yelled baring his teeth, and curling his fists, he then turned sharply away from the robot to face empty space, his arms crossed and his look centered yet smug, "Computer, please tell Gir he is wrong."

"I-uh I can't do that." Came the simple reply, from no where but everywhere at the same time, in the computers deep tone.

"And why not?" Zim said raising his brow muscle.

"Well, I uh, agree with him."

Zim's arms fell to his sides and his eyes and mouth both widened. How could they all be saying this? Zim was an Irken invader. Sent to destroy earth no less! He couldn't like an enemy, even one as unique as Gaz, with her soft bouncy purple hair, and her glare which so easily could turn sinister. No! How could he be thinking about her again? If anything he should be trying to get rid of the Dib-smeet so that he could more easily conquer earth. Yes! Zim resolved that he'd again focus on his initial mission.

Without saying a word, his arms crossed his eyes closed, Zim went and sat down in a moon shaped chair situated in front of hundreds of screens, all of them focused on a different angle of a different room of the Membrane household. Zim scanned the screens quickly looking for the Dib-stink. In no time he'd found Dib sitting at the kitchen table, with him was Gaz, and shockingly Professor Membrane. Zim quickly turned up the volume, to hear what the Professor was saying.

Meanwhile at the Membrane household, Gaz had to try her best to hide back a smile as her dad lectured her. Turns out the teachers weren't so idiotic after all and had actually called and discussed her terrible behavior with her father after all. True she didn't want to know what possible punishment her father had in mind but she was willing to risk it just to get a few extra minutes with her father. Who knows if she was lucky he'd decide that he'd need to tutor him herself. Gaz frowned here, not at what her father was saying but that for some reason the thought of ending her 'tutoring' sessions with Zim didn't seem all that pleasant, why? Zim didn't care about her, she shouldn't care about Zim. Gaz internally shook her head and again re-focused on what her dad was saying, now wasn't the time to have her thoughts trail to Zim.

"Do you understand how this looks? A member of the Membrane household, barely passing classes? Its unspeakable." The professor ranted in a mild tone, with the occasional blast of volume, for an upset father he didn't seem so distraught, "I don't know what I'm going to do with you Gaz, you've never acted so out of turn before. Dib?"

"Yes?" Dib answered a little shocked.

"I'm going to need you to do whatever you can to help your sister out. Tutor her if she needs it, Make sure she gets to school. Do whatever it takes, you understand."

"Uuuh sure, but" Dib replied he'd already done all this, what more could his dad want?

"No buts son, we Membranes must stick together." The Professor suddenly stood up adjusting his lab coat. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to work, I'm glad that we were able to have this family discussion."

"what?" Gaz suddenly shouted, her small hands clinging to the edges of the table as she helplessly watched her father leave, "That's all you have to say? Dib help your sister? What kind of a father are you!?"

Dib sat uncomfortable trying his best to be silent. He didn't try to comfort his sister, he suddenly understood why Gaz had been acting up. She'd always liked getting attention from their father, and lately with him never being home, it was understandable for a child craving attention to act out. Dib could feel Gaz's pain, it was hard when someone you wanted to notice you wouldn't even look your way, a quick flash of black lined purple eyes went through his brain. Dib was then brought out of his thoughts when he heard a door slam from upstairs. He looked around to see that Gaz was no longer their, she hadn't tried to kill him, usually whenever she was upset she'd try to kill him. Dib sunk a little where he was sitting, he didn't look forward to the next days with Gaz in this mood.

* * *

Author's Note:

So that all for now. Thanks for reading what I have! Will Try to put more up as soon as possible. Again I aplogize if it seemed random,, or jumpy, but like I said before I didn't have a clear idea of where I wanted to go with this until I was about halfway through writing this. :/ Anyway Hope you enjoyed what I have up. More to come! ^_^


	6. Broken Fragments

"What kind of a father are you?" Gaz heard the words echo in her head, even as she shouted them. Her dad, didn't even turn to lecture her about how it's not the childs place to question the parent, he had just kept walking and left. Gaz's mind went numb, no thoughts entered her brain, and her chest somehow turned hollow as she sat there staring at the door her father had just exited. Then she felt her eyes sting and something streak across her cheek down to her chin. Was she crying? She couldn't remember ever crying, so why now? From the corner of her eye she could see Dib still sitting there at the table. She definitely was not going to let Dib see her like this. Feeling the welling up of more tears, Gaz took off to her room, slamming the door behind her.

She sat on her bed, trying hard to not let the tears come. This was stupid, had she really allowed her to be built up so high? She should've known better, her father had never done anything more than verbally discipline and neglect his children. Gaz sniffed as the tears she was trying so hard to fight just seemed to keep getting worse. No longer sure if she was upset with herself or her father more.

"Gaz? Gaz are you okay?" Dib's voice came from the other side of Gaz's bedroom door accompanied by a soft knock. Gaz breathed heavily, Dib's voice was the last she wanted to hear right now. Before he could say another word Gaz went to her CD player, turned all the volume up and pushed play, not caring what CD it was just so long as something was there to help drown out the sound of Dib's voice.

Gaz ran her hands through her hair as the sound of death metal flooded her room. Looking up she caught a glimpse of herself in her bedroom mirror, a pale faced girl, her makeup smeared across her cheeks, her eyes filled with sadness. Slowly the eyes in the reflection got angry; tiny slivers began to creak and crack their way along the surface of the glass. In no time a web of fractures had formed in the mirror. In this moment staring at her own mangled reflection, Gaz came to the realization that no one cared what happened to her, so why should she.

Meanwhile blocks away, deep underground Zim sat in a moon shaped pillow cursing at himself. He couldn't see what Gaz was doing for he hadn't thought to install any surveillance units in her room. He'd seen no need before however now that he was trying to figure out why Gaz was so different from other humans it could be beneficial to see what she does in the privacy of her own room.

"This must be killing you." Came the mellow tone of the computer.

Zim raised his brow muscle, not really wanting to acknowledge the computer, still very upset with both it and GIR. Zim continued to stare at the screen that showed Gaz's bedroom door. He frowned, he'd never seen Gaz act that way before, something inside of him felt heavy but he didn't know what, figured it was just some fowl earth glob disagreeing with him.

"Gaz being so upset and you unable to do anything to comfort her." The computer continued his tone similar to that of taunting friends in elementary playgrounds.

"If you don't mute yourself now, I'll be forced to figure out a way to quiet you myself." Zim growled not looking up from the screen. He waited a few minutes, and then went back to his pondering; silently staring at Gaz's door which remained closed the rest of the night.

* * *

Authors NOte:

So its short, like really short, but its a better look at how Gaz was feeling when she yelled at her father, which is all I really wanted for this chapter.

Sorry, I'll try to make the next update a longer chapter.

Anyway hope you like it all the same.


	7. Shame

Gaz painfully forced her eyes open. They felt swollen and heavy, she knew right away it was from all the crying. She once again cursed at her being a hormonal teenage girl. She glanced over at the clock that sat beside her bed. It read 2:35. Gaz breathed deeply as she went back to staring at her own ceiling, 2:35, was that am or pm, and on what day? She couldn't really recall how long she'd been laying in bed, but she could feel her stomach twist in pain begging for food.

As she sat up she felt a sharp pain from her arm. Gaz pulled her weight off her arm and stared at the near fresh cut that was now there. First it ran smooth running near but not on the vein of her arm then suddenly went jagged. Gaz closed her eyes in shame and fingered the wound. She really had tried to take her own life away. She had been determined to have ended her life, she felt that no one would notice her absence but something in her brain had questioned if she really was correct, if really she would be better off ending her life, if nobody really did care for her. And once again wound up crying like a pathetic three year old.

Gaz reopened her eyes and moaned when her stomach made a rather loud outcry begging to be filled. Slowly she made her way down to the kitchen, based on the brightness of the house and the silence Gaz had to guess that it was the afternoon.

She fumbled around the fridge a while looking for something decent to eat that she could just quickly warm up, but everything was either molded or close to it, she also noticed that she'd never bought more soda like she meant to. She sighed she was going to have to go out and buy something, she quickly looked at herself, she'd have to change before doing anything, since she never did change her outfit from her Saturday mall trip, and it wasn't currently in the best shape. She took off her shirt revealing a black and purple checkered bra and started heading back to her room to change only to see a someone standing right by her door, his mouth agape his top half of his head covered by thick metallic goggles, and his green skin somehow looking a little less green than normal.

Gaz felt blood rush to her cheeks, her embarassment quickly turning to anger, "What are you doing inside my house Zim?"

* * *

AUTHOR"S NOTE: WOOO! A NEW CHAPTER not exactly my favorite, but its been a while since I wrote anything so this was jut more for getting back in the swing of things, anyway hope ya'll liked it.


	8. Round Two

Earlier that Day

Zim eyed the exterior of the membrane household from behind the laser fence, his eyes hidden by a pair of thick metallic goggles. He'd just watched the dib pig leave and head off for school, "GIR." the irken invader hissed in his watch communicator.

"Master?" Gir's voiced replied. Zim had left his robot companion back at the base to keep an eye on the Membrane surveilance, while he went to install a surveillance unit in Gaz's room.

"Gir, one more time, is anyone visible in the house?" Zim crouched in front of the Membrane's mailbox as he awaited Gir's response.

"No biddy bugs anywhere in sight master."

"Excellent. Now Gir you must keep a careful watch and let me know if anything changes you hear me? Gir? GIR!"

"Yes. My Master! Careful Watch!"

Zim sighed, and shook his head he could only imagine what kind of inane escapade Gir was getting himself into. However Zim couldn't bother with waiting, he didn't fully understand why, but he didn't like not knowing what was going on with Gaz, especially when she was as upset as she was Saturday night.

Zim sighed and stood up still trying to hide behind the mailbox, this laser fence surrounding the membrane yard was going to cause trouble. He'd first have to get around it. He examined further, the fence had four source points it seemed, if he could take one of those out perhaps it would disengage the fence entirely.

Zim spent the next couple of hours devising plans and failing to disengage the lasers, electrocuting himself several times in the process. Finally he sat and watched as a couple of butterflies flew over the very fence he was working on trying to disenage.

"What? You can just go over the top of this accurs-ed thing." Zim shouted in frustration gesturing at the laser fence. Then in a dramatic fit he threw his arms down by his side, fists clenched and jaw tight. Slowly he took a few paces back and then ran at the membrane house flipping over the electric perimeter and landing with a roll on the grass. Zim then proceeded to scurry over to the front door and egan working on breaking through it.

"The Maulberries! The Maulberries!" Gir's voice suddenly came out of nowhere shouting from Zim's wrist. In panicked anger Zim silenced the screaming by putting the communicator on mute and refocusing his attention on breaking through the front door.

After several minutes Zim found he had successfully broken into the membrane home a second time.

"yeeees." He laughed to himself as he quietly backed into the home, then he turned to face the kitchen to see Gaz standing there, in black stockings, a mussed pleated plaid skirt, and a checkered bra, Zim felt all the blood rush from his face and was astounded by the snow like beauty of Gaz's skin. Then their eyes connected, though his were behind his metallic goggles. He saw her pale cheeks grow red, and her eyes change from terror to anger.

"What are you doing in my house Zim?" She hissed her posture changing ever so slightly

Zim panicked he couldn't tell her the real reason was he was here, "You weren't at skool today, Little Gaz! I do believe that we have an agreed tutoring session,"

"Great you should've knocked rather than breaking into my home" Gaz had taken a few steps closer and suddenly her foot was spinning round to collide with the side of Zim's face.

Zim however saw this coming, and grabbed her foot just before it hit, He smiled when he saw that Gaz was taken aback by this and twisted her foot so that she spun mid air, and was heading toward the ground face first. Zim had the upper hand in this fight, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. Gaz spun on the ground trying to kick Zim's feet from under him, he jumped in order to dodge the attack and with barely a thought four mechanical arms came from his pack to assist him, in little time he knew he would have Gaz pinned, but what then?

Gaz again cam at Zim with another attack, Zim merely sent Gaz flying at the wall then used one his mechanical arms to pin her torso there. He smiled as he watched her struggle to get free, then he brought himself closer so that his face was inches from hers he discovered in previous encounters with Gaz that despite his insides doing summersaults when he was this close to Gaz he really rather enjoyed it, "Now what to do with you, since clearly I'm the victor in this battle."

"Only Because you cheated" Gaz growled as she swung with her fist at Zim's face. Zim dodged the hit then grabbed her wrist to contain her arms. Gaz winced. Zim raised an invisible eyebrow, she'd never showed signs of feeling pain before, he looked from her eyes to her wrist and there running down the length of her forearm was what looked like a fresh cut. Gaz followed Zim's eyes and could feel the tears beginning to well up again. The two of them stood there in silence, Zim staring at Gaz's arm still in his grasp, his mechanical arms retreating back in his pack. Gaz looking from her wrist to Zim's face wondering why the alien was just standing there staring.

"What happened?" Zim finally muttered, a hint of anger ever so audible.

"WHy do you care?" Gaz said yanking her wrist from Zim's grasp, and holding it in her other hand. She didn't like having to admit weakness ever, but for some reason she felt even more ashamed in admitting her weakness to Zim.

"Because I do! Now what Happened?" Zim exclaimed grabbing back Gaz's wrist, and eyeing it once more.

Gaz stood dumbfounded, did Zim just admit that he cared about her?

Author's Note:

So hope ya'll enjoy there's not much left of this part of this. You'll understand soon enough, anyway this is probablt more confusing than anything, this chapter was meant to be a comic or somethig.


	9. Crushing Blow

Music blared from a set of speakers on the workbench that Dib was working at. He was currently finishing up on his science class project. Zim hadn't been bothering him lately which at first had worried Dib but as the weeks passed, he'd discovered just how much time was wasted on his little war with Zim. In fact with Zim focusing his attentions elsewhere Dib was able to not only catch up on all of his homework but make some progress with Tak's ship, he'd discovered in the memory of the ship a log of all the planet's and galaxies that Tak had traveled to, a sort of alien GPS system as he had decribed it to Agent DarkBootie. There was just one thing that had been bothering him, and that was the purple dot that had been blinking where Saturn should have been.

He at first speculated that it could have been a homing beacon of sorts, but that would imply that Tak was on Saturn but that also she was still alive after all these years. Dib had brushed off this ridiculousness early on. Besides even if Tak was alivewhat would he do? Rescue her? Why would he want to do that she was Irken after all, and came much closer to destroying the earth than Zim ever had. On the other hand she did hate Zim and could probably make a good ally, besides she had been the only one to have listened to him. Dib shook his head, no Tak was an Irken no better than Zim.

He returned to his work on his project but his insatiable need to know kept crawling to the forefront of his brain, consuming all of his thought processes, If she did manage to survive how would she go about it, would she remember him, was there a way to find out?

"Oh for crying out loud" Dib grabbed his coat and left the garage, "This is ridiculous Dib, you need to go and get your mind off this." He continued to mutter quietly to himself as he walked away from his home heading no where in particular.

* * * MEANWHILE * * *

Zim and Gaz stood in the Membrane living room, Zim holding Gaz's scarred arm, and Gaz holding her torso with the other arm.

"WHO DID THIS?" Zim suddenly shouted making Gaz jump slightly inside.

"Just let it go Zim." Gaz said trying to pry her arm away from Zim's tightened grip. She could tell by the look that he was giving her that he planned to do no such thing until she had answered him. The panic and guilt she'd initially felt was starting to fester and spark into tiny grains of anger and annoyance. He didn't care, why would he care? This just had to be another trick.

"Zim let. It. GO." She said more forcibly this time, finally yanking her arm from Zim's grasp. The anger she was feeling began to manifest in her voice and eyes.

"You don't need to know anything Zim." Zim heard Gaz growl under her breath and was he crazy but was her persona slightly glowing again. Zim inhaled praparing to give another argument but before he even could Gaz spoke again "Get out of my house Zim."

Zim crossed his arms, he'd about had enough of this Earth Vixen's insolence . Suddenly the professor membrane lamp that was sitting on the nearby shelving unit came flying at his head. Zim screamed and barely managed to dodge the lamp when several books started flying at him. Zim continued to do his best to dodge the flying objects and couldn't help but shout "Ha! I knew it. Zim knew you were the one who. . ." Zim hadn't even finished half his sentence when one of the flying books hit him square in the face.

"I said get out." Gaz growled again and this time Zim could feel some invisible force pushing him towards the door. He adjusted himself and opened his mouth to protest when that same force got stronger and sent him flying out the membrane door. Almost immediately Zim ran back to get inside only to have the door slam in his face.

"Stupid female!" He shouted at the door, "Why did I ever worry about you!"


	10. Single Black Rose

Author's note:

Well look at this, I've been swayed. Here is a new update that you've all been asking for, hope you enjoy.

It turned out longer than originally intended. In fact I'm surprised it turned out this long, I thought I'd lost all inspiration for this story.

Again I hope you enjoy it.

Invader Zim, Gaz and Dib Membrane, Gir, and all things associated belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon, not me.

* * *

The skies were an unusual calm for the shade of gray they were over the neighborhood of neatly kept fenced in 2 story cookie cutter houses. Even the air didn't feel as thick as it should have with the amount of cloud cover present. Every visual clue that afternoon implied that there should be a thunderstorm at any moment, meanwhile it felt as dry and hot as any other typical day. However all of this was lost for the two souls too busy sulking in their own thoughts and concerns.

Dib had his hands shoved so deep into his black trench coats pockets one might think his arms were shorter than they truly were. He was so lost in his own head that he'd nearly trampled over a handful of children and a small gray chihuahua with a chewed up ear. Since leaving the garage not only was he trying to figure out what that blinking purple dot meant, but his mind had even traced back to the strange behavior of Gaz.

While Dib for the most part was silently keeping to himself, Zim on the hand was quite the source of alarm with his rather dramatic stomping his way back to his own green home. On the while muttering at varying levels of volume to himself. "Stupid vixen. With HER stupid POWER. Stupid little SHE-DEVIL with her ARROGANCE and her STUBBORNness. SHE'LL see. SHE'LL be SORRY. Yes SHE will. ZIM will be sure of THAT." This continued the entirety of his walk back with intermittent shouts and attacks of violence towards anything that crossed his path.

He didn't stop his mutterings until he reached his home and violently swung his door open. "Gir!" He shouted with all his might and impatiently tapped his foot, his arms crossed, "GIR!?"

Zim slammed the door behind him as he went back to the kitchen in search of his asinine robotic assistant, only to not find him there. "GIR! Where are YOU!?"

"Sir?" came the mellow tone of the computer

"What?" Zim snapped back as he took the goggles of his face.

"Gir isn't here at the moment."

"Well where is he?" Zim snarled, as he glared at the ceiling.

"How should I know."

"AAAAAH!" Zim shouted as he threw his goggles at the couch, and continued shouting while he collapsed into one of the dining room chairs and slammed his head onto the table "I'm surrounded by INCOMPETENT FOOLS."

"Sir, if I may?" The computers voice came again with a slight air of what can only can be described as concern.

"No you may not." Zim said lack-lusterless, only rolling his head so that his mouth was free from the table and there he remained for the rest of the evening.

* * *

It'd been a week since Gaz's breakdown and something was off. At least Dib though something was off, he had no reason to, for all intents and purposes everything seemed to have returned back to the way it used to be. Gaz begrudgingly agreed to allow Dib to tutor her, although for whatever reason she insisted that their tutoring sessions take place after school at the library. Zim had even started to bother him again from time to time. However it was almost like everyone was on auto pilot, not really focused on what they were supposedly focusing on. Then finally a spark of life appeared out of nowhere.

It was on another gray skied afternoon, as Dib and Gaz walked back from another fruitless tutoring session at the library. Dib didn't even know why he was still bothering with it all Gaz did was watch the door the entire time. As the siblings arrived home, Dib noticed something sitting on the door step. He stopped to pick up, what appeared to be a single black rose with an attached card, as Gaz brushed past him.

* * *

Elsewhere Zim was focused on repairing a mechanical glitch in his pack, when Gir clumsily appeared looking rather charred. Zim rolled his eyes and went to continue his pack repairs when her heard Dib's voice come from one of the monitors behind him, "Hey Gaz, looks like someone wants to take you to Homecoming."

"What?" Zim and Gaz said simultaneously. Zim hurriedly put his pack back on and searched the screens for the siblings, there he could see Dib was entering his house holding a black rose in front of him, While Gaz was staring at him from the kitchen looking rather impatient.

"Yeah, they left this on the door step, with a note." Dib said as he gestured for Gaz take the rose from him. Gaz sighed in exasperation and took it from him and quickly read the note. Zim meanwhile stared intently at the screen his fingers clenching onto the desk. After a moment of silence Dib decided to cautiously ask, "So? You gonna go?"

"With a complete stranger? Sure that'd be fun." Gaz returned not even trying to hide the cynicism in her voice. Zim sighed as he relaxed back into his moon shaped chair. He couldn't help but notice though that Gaz continued to examine that rose.

"Oh come on, you never know, it COULD be fun." Dib insisted with a smile. Happy for the possibility of someone else possibly helping get Gaz out of her current funk. It'd be good for is sister to get out of the house and with other people other than himself.

"Maybe." Gaz said as a means to shut her brother up as she made her way to her bedroom and locking herself away there.

Zim stared at the computer screen showing Gaz's bedroom door. He thought after distancing himself that whatever little spell she had cast over him would wear off but now his theory was being proved wrong as his thoughts were again focused on her and his insides felt heavy.

Gaz silently lay on her bed staring at her ceiling the black rose in her hand. Once again hating being female for the flood of emotions overcoming her, a small portion feeling a tinge of happiness at the thought that somebody, anybody had noticed her. Not her brother, not her father, but HER. However she couldn't help but feeling disappointed and worried, someone else had noticed her, had said they cared and she had pushed them away. Did she even deserve to be noticed again. What was she thinking, did she honestly think Zim was being truthful or serious, it was all a ruse. She sighed, and again found herself chanting until she fell asleep that it had all been a trick.


	11. Bitter Words

The bell rang indicating that it was time for lunch. Gaz made her way to her locker, wondering if whoever had sent her the rose and invitation would come forward. The note had left no indication of who had left it or even when they were supposed to meet, assuming if Gaz accepted. By the time Gaz had gotten to her locker she had started to wonder if the whole thing was just a part of some prank.

"Hey Membrane," Gaz heard a gruff voice say as somebody else closed her locker door before she was able to retrieve her bag. She looked up to see none other than Tork Smacky, one of the bigger boys in the school, he stood at least a foot taller than herself and was definitely at least twice as wide. She internally rolled her eyes as she reopened her locker. He thought he was something special because he was a member of the football team. He continued speaking completely oblivious to the fact that she was not interested in hearing anything he had to say, "I decided I could do you the honors of going to Homecoming with one of the biggest studs in the skool."

Gaz couldn't believe what she was hearing and was even more convinced now that the rose was part of some stupid prank, however being bored and having been planning to just skip the rest of the day, she decided to indulge him just a little while longer. "What are you up to?"

By the confused look on Tork's face Gaz could tell that if this was a prank he was clearly not the mastermind behind it; so she continued on, "Come off it, this is clearly a prank, first the rose to butter me up. Now you're trying to get me to go to homecoming with you."

"What rose?" Tork asked looking even more confused and starting to even look a little frustrated that his 'good deed' wasn't going according to plan.

"You didn't leave a rose at my house?" Gaz said cautiously optimistic, could this mean this wasn't a prank, someone was legitimately interested in her, and the idiot forgot to include his name or where to meet. Gaz had forgotten all about the oaf currently attempting to ask her out, her mind suddenly contemplating the possibility that the idiot who left her the rose might be the very same idiot who had agreed to tutor her.

"Oh, that rose. Uh, yeah, that was me." Tork said trying to look cool and calm, but it was blatantly obvious to even random passersby that he was lying. Gaz glared up at him however before she even got a chance to say anything there was a loud crash as Tork was slammed into the lockers and kicked over to the floor. The hallway fell silent as all souls present stopped what they were doing, too stunned by what they were seeing, Tork Smacky was currently on the floor, having been knocked down, by the funny little green boy who was more than a good half his size, being the second shortest kid in the entire skool.

Zim stood over Tork and grabbed him roughly by his collar and growled, "What do you think you're doing speaking to my Gaz?"

"Excuse me?" Gaz chimed in, more than slightly shocked and angry. She pulled on Zim's shoulder trying to force him to face her. However he stood solidly glaring at Tork looking as if he was contemplating what way was best to dispose of him. Gaz again pulled on his shoulder this time focusing especially on making sure he turned to face her, which he did albeit Gaz could tell very reluctantly. "Where the hell are you coming from calling me yours? Especially after a week of ignoring me."

"What?" Zim looked almost as shocked and angry as Gaz felt, releasing Tork in order to accommodate his wild gesturing, "Are you without brain worms? You have to be Zim's. Clearly Zim is taller than you, and clearly," he continued as he grabbed the arm she'd previously cut, "Zim can't trust you without him."

SLAP!

The sound rang out echoing in the still quiet hallway, Gaz slowly lowered her now raised hand while Zim stood silent his face turned slightly away from her. Both were obviously angry with the other and no one who stood witnessing dared move for fear of having that anger retaliated at them. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of silence but what was only a few seconds, Gaz whispered venomously under her breath, "If you truly felt that way Zim, then perhaps you shouldn't have just vanished like everyone else has in my life." She then grabbed Tork by the shoulder and assisted him to his feet declaring very audibly but still extremely venomously, "You know what Tork, perhaps I will go with you to Homecoming."

Zim watched as she walked down the hallway feeling as if someone had just punched him in the gut, which Tork Smacky quickly made a reality as he declared that Zim was a nerd and punched him so hard that Zim fell to the floor. Zim stayed there as the hallway resumed it's usually mayhem, wondering to himself what had come over him. He was an invader and that little vixen of a worm baby shouldn't mean anything to him. He was an invader, and she had power, power that he could use, perhaps that was it. That had to be it, she was powerful and being the invader that he was meant he should have all things powerful. Zim sat up as he decided this had to be the explanation behind everything, even though deep in the back of his mind he knew it was only a cover.

Meanwhile Gaz slowly walked home, completely regretting going to Homecoming with Tork, knowing full well she'd only did it to spite Zim. Gah! Why did she have to be a stupid hormonal teenage girl, unable to keep her emotions in check? Maybe she'll just cancel on Tork and not go. She didn't know her mind felt so numb after her encounter with Zim that she decided that perhaps burying herself in her game slave was the best option.

A/N : As always feel free to tell me what you think. Also I feel I should warn you that this specific part of this story is coming to a close soon, however there is a planned sequel in the works.


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